Court rules in favor of IMM, rejects AKP's application: They had requested its cancellation

A ruling has been issued in the lawsuit filed for the cancellation of the regulation regarding the eligibility of students over the age of 30 pursuing master's degrees or higher to benefit from transportation discounts, which was adopted by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Council. AKP Group Spokesperson Murat Türkyılmaz and AKP Council Member Muhammet Kaynar had requested the cancellation of the regulation, arguing that not granting the same right to undergraduate students was "contrary to the principle of equality." The Istanbul 3rd Administrative Court ruled in favor of the IMM, stating that the regulation in question does not constitute a violation of the principle of equality and is in accordance with the principle of effective and efficient use of public resources. The court decided to reject the case on the grounds that there was no illegality or violation of legislation in the action subject to the lawsuit.

The decision adopted by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) Council on September 11, 2025, which includes transportation discounts for students over the age of 30, was taken to court by AKP Group Spokesperson Murat Türkyılmaz and AKP Council Member Muhammet Kaynar. In their application, Türkyılmaz and Kaynar argued that the regulation allowing "students over the age of 30 who are not employed or who do not own/partner in a business and are pursuing master's degrees or higher to benefit from transportation discounts" was "contrary to the principle of equality" because the same right was not granted to undergraduate students.

"IT CONSTITUTES A VIOLATION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY"

Türkyılmaz and Kaynar requested the cancellation of the decision and included the following statements in their petition:

"It is requested to be cancelled on the grounds that it constitutes a violation of the principle of equality guaranteed by the Constitution, that the administration is authorized to determine ticket prices, tariffs, times, and routes for public transport vehicles and to apply discounts to student ID card holders in public transport services within the framework of the powers granted to it, that a regulation was made by discriminating against students pursuing postgraduate education without stating a reason, and that the decision in question creates results contrary to the principle of equality among people in the same status, and that it is unlawful."

Court: "It does not constitute a violation of the principle of equality and is in accordance with the principle of effective and efficient use of public resources"

In the Administrative Court's decision dated January 16, it was stated that "as it is understood that it does not constitute a violation of the principle of equality and is in accordance with the principle of effective and efficient use of public resources, there is no illegality or violation of legislation in the action subject to the lawsuit."

The court decided to reject the case by recording the following sentences in its ruling:

"When the aforementioned legislative provisions and the explanations made are evaluated together; it is understood that municipalities are authorized to charge for public transport services according to the tariff determined by their own municipal councils, that different eligibility criteria can be determined in the use of this authority by taking into account the different social and economic situations of individuals, that in the dispute, students over the age of 30 are in an advantageous position compared to other students in meeting the financial burden brought by education by being involved in business life in the ordinary flow of life, that indeed, with the regulation made, a regulation was made for students over the age of 30 who are not employed or who do not own/partner in a business to benefit from the discount provided to students under the age of 30, and therefore, since going to a different regulation for these persons by taking this situation into account is based on an objective and reasonable fact, the difference in the treatment in question does not constitute a violation of the principle of equality and is in accordance with the principle of effective and efficient use of public resources, therefore there is no illegality or violation of legislation in the action subject to the lawsuit."

News Source: 12punto